Doug Jones channels family dog for The Shape of Water character

Actor Doug Jones has admitted he took inspiration from the ''family dog'' to get into the character of the Amphibian Man in 'The Shape of Water'.

Doug Jones channelled the instincts of the ''family dog'' while filming 'The Shape of Water'.

The 57-year-old actor - who is best known for playing monsters on the big screen - has revealed that director Guillermo Del Toro told him he didn't want to see any ''human reactions'' as he prepared to play the Amphibian Man.

Jones - whose character doesn't say a word in the entire movie - told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: ''Guillermo was very good at reminding me, 'you're an animal from the wild - I don't want to see any human reactions, no human responses, non-verbally'.

''I had to find the instincts of the family dog instead. When you talk to the dog, he has his own way of getting back to you.

''He'll put his ears up or tilt his head or arf, or something, so I [similarly] had to find what that system would be for me.''

Jones has been compared to British actor Andy Serkis - who is known for his motion capture roles, including Gollum in 'Lord of the Rings', and Supreme Leader Snoke in 'Star Wars'.

And when Jones first met Serkis, he revealed they both agreed they ''did the same kind of thing''.

He said: ''When I introduced myself, he [Serkis] flung his arms around me, threw his head back and laughed.

''He and I agreed that we both did the same kind of thing: we're both actors.

''If you're playing a human in a T-shirt and jeans, or a monster with a tail coming out of his ass, you still have to channel the heart and soul of that character.''